The young noble's hand trembled as he gripped his sword. He nervously slammed the door shut and threw his overcoat onto the bed.

"Damn it!"

Ludwig, the second son of the Krupp family and a noble with royal blood, was unable to suppress his anger and even flung his sword away.

― Clang!

"... Lord Ludwig. Please compose yourself."

With a solemn expression, the attendant stood behind Ludwig, picked up his sword, and placed it back in order.

"Do I look like I'm going to compose myself right now? I'm about to fight that damned half-breed!"

"A noble must always maintain their composure, my lord."

"Easy for you to say. Crossing swords with that bastard is no ordinary ordeal!"

Ludwig furrowed his brow. In truth, Ludwig was confident in his abilities when it came to most swordsmen.

However, Ludwig had also seen Erich face off against Milon. And the moment he witnessed that fight, Ludwig lost all will to continue.

A true swordsman would instantly recognize the mark of having reached the pinnacle—a Swordmaster's 'eyes'.

It was proof that even a half-decent swordsman would never fail to notice.

"My father would tear up that wretched armor like it was paper! 'Compose myself'? That's easy for you to say!"

"But my lord, do you not have Algrund, the fabled sword and a national treasure of the Empire?"

"..."

Ludwig glared at his attendant through narrowed eyes. He wasn't a fool. Swordmasters are beings who can tear apart knights with their bare hands.

Whether one holds a national treasure or a mere stick, it makes no difference.

He let out a low sigh. Attendants like these were nothing more than straw dummies that only said pleasant things.

"... Old man. I think I'll have to forfeit."

"If you forfeit, the grand duchess will surely be furious."

"Is that really what matters right now? My life is at sta—"

― BOOM!

At that moment, Ludwig swallowed a lump in his throat as heavy as a thousand pounds. There was only one person who could barge into Ludwig's room like a madman.

"Ludwig. What are you saying?"

"M-mother..."

Ludwig trailed off. Despite being the renowned second son of Krupp, he was nothing more than a frightened rabbit before his mother.

The grand duchess slowly entered, walking past the Imperial Knights holding the trembling doors. She fixed her icy gaze on her son.

"The second son of Krupp, a descendant of royalty, is speaking of surrender first?"

"Mother. But I..."

"Ludwig."

― Smack!

A resounding slap filled the room. Immediately after, the grand duchess grabbed Ludwig by the collar with her strong hands.

― Rip!

Ludwig's shirt was torn to shreds. Yet Ludwig put up no resistance. He stood there, frozen at his mother's outrageous actions.

"As a noble heir, your duty is to be where you are supposed to be."

"...."

Ludwig's eyes widened. Of course, he always knew his mother was this type of person. He just didn't expect she would abandon him this quickly.

Then, the grand duchess gestured toward the Imperial Knights at her side. One handed her a small vial.

"Fulfill your duty."

Ludwig silently stared at the vial in the grand duchess's hand. It was suspicious, shimmering with a faint green-red glow. Ludwig gazed at the grand duchess with teary, glistening eyes, as if he was about to cry.

"Hurry."

At the grand duchess's urging, Ludwig took the vial. But the moment he held it, she immediately turned and left Ludwig's room, abandoning her ashen-faced son.

Ludwig stood there, unmoving, his hand trembling as he looked at the vial.

― Tsk.

Soon, the attendant who had stayed by his side also left the room. Now Ludwig was alone.

A cold, suffocating silence filled the room.

***

― Swish!

The sound of metal slicing through air rang sharply. In the silence of midnight, all that could be heard was a knight's footsteps and the whoosh of a sword. Sensing someone's presence, he turned around.

"Are you up already?"

"... Did you come to mock me?"

"Mock you? Not at all. I was just worried I'd stabbed you wrong."

Erich raised one corner of his mouth. Milon slid his sword into its scabbard and replied.

"No need to worry. You weren't trying to kill me with that thrust anyway, were you?"

"True. Was the grand duchess quiet?"

"... The grand duchess is very busy. It seems she's got bigger issues to worry about than me."

As for what that "bigger issue" was, both Milon and Erich obviously knew.

It had been two days since the match between Milon and Erich. Tomorrow would be the final match between Erich and Ludwig.

"To ready the soldiers at Heinkel will require quite a bit of hassle. It's a considerable army, after all."

"You sound relaxed. You might die before I do, you know."

"You still haven't asked, even after coming this far. Aren't you curious? How exactly I'll keep your family alive?"

"... Is that what you came to talk about?"

"I imagine you've been wondering for some time now. No?"

Milon's brow furrowed. Certainly, Erich's words were correct. Having already made his decision, Milon was now in a position where he desperately needed Erich's answer.

"You said you would save our family. There's only one way to do that. Are you, by any chance, planning to become Krupp's heir?"

"You're going to wait until I become head of the family? At that rate, you'll already be a cold corpse."

"Betting on someone who reached Swordmaster at this age isn't such a bad gamble. I told you before. Even if I die, my bloodline will continue. That's all I care about."

"A poor plan."

"... Do you have a better one?"

"Why not become the lord of Krupp's lands? And a lord with a force no one could ignore."

"..."

Milon gazed languidly at Erich. Obviously, anyone could think of that—if only there was someone to grant him those lands.

"Milon, I'll give you Heinkel. You will become viscount of Heinkel and govern it."

"My lord. Heinkel belongs to the grand duchess. Would she endorse me as viscount? Besides, that area is directly governed, so technically there's no need for a viscount."

"If I take Heinkel for myself, someone needs to rule it on my behalf."

Milon's lip twitched. At the very least, Erich wasn't a man to make empty boasts. Even though the suggestion sounded preposterous, Milon couldn't shake the feeling that Erich had found a way.

"Is there even a way to take that from the grand duchess?"

"If I win at the Iceborn, I'll ask the grand duke for Heinkel."

"... That will put him in a difficult position. After all, it was handed to the princess as her dowry from Krupp. What means do you have to reclaim it?"

Erich simply raised the corner of his mouth. Even if he explained, Milon wouldn't understand yet. But within Krupp, the seeds of conflict were already growing.

'In the near future, the grand duchess and her eldest son will rebel against the grand duke, basing themselves in Heinkel.'

In the past, before the regression—

When Erich had become commander of the Watch, the grand duke had tried to pass on his title to Erich, a Swordmaster and head of the imperial army's largest force.

There may have been various motives—perhaps to pass on the south to a more capable child, or because he realized he couldn't leave the dead of the north alone.

As part of that, the grand duke prepared for Erich to inherit. But the grand duchess would never let that happen, and in the end, she rebelled with the disinherited eldest son.

Originally, to rebel against the grand duke was tantamount to suicide. The local lords would never sit idle if someone challenged order.

But with the nobles embroiled in civil war, no one had the energy to interfere in southern family strife. The grand duchess, having spent years preparing, used her military superiority to drive out the grand duke.

As a result, before his regression, Erich never received the southern support he should have.

In a roundabout way,

The grand duchess's conspiracy was built on Heinkel.

But the grand duke wasn't a fool. Even knowing Heinkel was a threat, he couldn't seize it from her—he had no justification.

But Erich could provide that legitimacy.

"Father is already uneasy about the grand duchess's faction. And the most efficient way to reduce her power is to seize Heinkel."

"... The grand duke is already looking for a way to take Heinkel from her?"

"Yes, but it was only a thought, until I bring it up after winning at the Iceborn. It'll be like pulling out a rotten tooth."

"But Heinkel isn't the grand duke's land, is it? There's no legal basis for doing so. Everyone will see it as unfair."

"That's the crux of it. The territory you can claim from the Iceborn is 'Krupp's' land. Not many people realize the difference. Milon, what's Katrin's full name?"

"Katrin von Krupp..."

Milon trailed off, eyes widening. Krupp's land. Katrin might not be of Krupp blood, but technically, she was still Krupp. Thus, the winner of the Iceborn could rightfully claim ownership from the Krupp head.

Actually, this wasn't Erich's own idea. The Iceborn tournament survived for so long because it also benefited Krupp.

If a Krupp contestant won, they could take back dowries, alliance payments, and more, that had been given to other families.

But other lords weren't fools, and eventually Krupp was no longer able to use this method. Thus, the Iceborn faded, as no one from Krupp entered, and the family could no longer give away their land.

"Just how did you think of all this? Did you sell your soul to a devil?"

Erich merely smiled at Milon's words. Then, with eyes clouded by thought, he spoke.

"Milon, have you ever felt regret?"

"What do you mean by regret?"

"Wondered what might have happened if you'd chosen differently, or if you'd acted another way at some moment?"

"Every day. Including regretting getting mixed up with you."

"Heh. Those kinds of regrets can be rather enjoyable. Everyone has their 'what ifs.' I'm just someone who turned them into reality."

"Isn't regret something you feel while looking back at something that already happened?"

Milon laughed weakly at Erich's words. He simply couldn't relate to Erich's experience.

But as always, this was Erich's honest feeling.

Standing before the undead legion, Erich had a mountain of regrets. Wondering what he could have done differently, wishing things had gone another way. In Erich's case, those regrets were simply on a much larger scale.

That's why, after his regression, Erich had worked so tirelessly to create a new future, to shape those regrets into new realities and change his fate.

"Well then, I'll take it as settled. It won't be long until the territory is handed out, so just sit tight and wait."

"... But I can't shake a bad feeling."

"About what?"

"No way the grand duchess will stay silent after this. You've already revealed yourself as a Swordmaster, you would have defeated her second son, and won the Iceborn; if you take Heinkel too, she'll have nothing left."

"She may resort to her last option—try to kill me no matter what. If so, the tables would turn in her favor, since the grand duke would have only two heirs left."

"... True enough."

"But don't worry. I'll be guarded by Watchmen."

"Are you really planning to leave the south after you get Heinkel?"

"Why would I hand Heinkel to you unless I was planning to leave after becoming lord? I'll be going to the Watch. That's why I need someone to manage Heinkel."

Milon was left with questions.

What exactly did Krupp's third son, Erich, want?

Taking Heinkel, solidifying his position in the family, then leaving for a place no noble would willingly go.

But Milon didn't ask further. For now, Erich was the one in control.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】

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